The Cardington-Lincoln softball team's pitching has been on point this week, and while they dropped a game to Danville, they followed up nicely with a solid win over Centerburg led by Genevieve Longsdorf's 15 strikeouts.
Danville 2, Cardington-Lincoln 0
Another game and another gem for Danville ace Grace Gronberg, who out-dueled Genevieve Longsdorf in a 2-0 shutout over Knox Morrow Athletic Conference rival Cardington-Lincoln on April 16.
Gronberg pitched all seven innings, allowing two hits and five walks, while striking out 12 batters.
Longsdorf also pitched a complete game, giving up a run in the fourth and fifth inning with one unearned. She allowed five hits and no walks, while striking out 10 Blue Devils.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Alicia Humphrey blasted a solo shot to lead things off. Addison Mickey hit a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning, scoring Emily Weckesser who reached on a single earlier in the frame.
Ruby Bartok was 2-for-3 on the day. Gronberg and Weckesser each had singles, and Humphrey had a homer in a 1-for-3 day.
Alexis Longsdorf and Myleigh Bishop each had singles for the Pirates.
Cardington-Lincoln 5, Centerburg 2
Centerburg had a two run lead until the third inning, but the Pirates came back to score five unanswered runs in a 12 hit attack to beat the the KMAC rival Trojans 5-2 on April 18.
Longsdorf had an incredible complete game win, allowing only two unearned runs, two hits and a walk, while striking out 15 batters.
In the bottom of the second inning, Centerburg put their only two runs on the board when Sara Stowe laid down a bunt with runners on second and third with one out. It was played and two runs scored to put the Trojans up 2-0.
In the top of the third, Cardington-Lincoln cut the lead to one when Ari Simpson hit an RBI double. Kayden Burchett tied up the game with a bunt single that brought home a run.
The Pirates took the lead in top of the fourth inning when Longsdorf singled and drove in Bishop. Powell put them up by two when she hit a grounder that was misplayed, and Hailey Littlemeyer came home to score.
In the sixth inning, Cardington-Lincoln scored on a dropped third strike and held on the rest of the way for the win.
Burchett was 1-for-2 with a pair of RBIs and two walks in the win for Cardington-Lincoln. Simpson was 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Celia Hall and Powell also went 2-for-4 for the Pirates.
Centerburg’s two hits came from Stowe and Harley Webb, with both being singles.
Stowe picked up the loss, going five innings, allowing 10 hits, four runs but three earned, and two walks, while striking out one.
